The Government of Djibouti has initiated a proposal with UNESCO to declare the Lake Assal zone and the Ardoukoba volcano as a World Heritage Site.

[5][6] Lake Assal is located in the middle of Djibouti, in a closed depression at the northern end of the Great Rift Valley.

[7] However, when the wind velocity and evaporation are low, the temperature recorded was found to be 20 °C (68 °F) for surface water and above 25 °C (77 °F) at shallow depths of the lake.

According to this study, the lake originally contained freshwater overlying the 15 m (49 ft) mantle of tufas, marls and calcretes.

At an elevation of 100 m (330 ft) "Melanoides tubeculatus (Melania tuberculata), Corbicula consobrina and Coelatura teretiuscula" were reported "resting on the basalts".

At the present bed level, the formations of marls with Ervilius purpura and cerithium sp., are indicative of gradual transformation over the centuries to saline water lake; the reason could be on account of lagoon or marine intrusion.

[13] Another theory mooted by the explorer Major Harris is that the volcanic convulsions could have been the cause for severing the original link of the lake with the Gulf of Tadjoura.

The important feature, from the point of view of the sources of water to the lake, is the Assal-Ghoubbet Rift, which is formed of recent basaltic formations (less than 1 Mya).

[5][6] Considering its geological evolution, the lake periphery now has crystal bands of salt and remarkable white gypsum above which are the distinct overlay of black basalt formations.

[5][6] The main source of supply, however, is subsurface geothermal springs with aquifers linked to the sea water from the Ghoubbet El Kharab bay, which is 10 km (6.2 mi) to the southeast of the lake.

The subterranean flow from the Gulf of Ghoubbet of the Red Sea is through a fissured channel of 5 km (3.1 mi) length by gravity in basalt formations of mountains existing on the east side of Lake Assal, as spring.

[5][6] The seawater-derived geothermal aquifer of the Asal-Fiale area is located in an exposed and actively extending continental rift that will become an arm of the Red Sea.

In particular, Lake Assal is eligible as an experimental site to study the evolution of the deep hot brines of the Red Sea.

[8] The vegetation in the lake area consists only of scattered, low, thorny bushes or shrubs on the right bank shores, except for one lone palm tree which is bypassed by the road.

[7] The region has witnessed terrestrial fauna species of antelopes (small buck near the stream beds), camels, birds, lizards and insects.

[citation needed] The chemical composition of the lake water is 300 g/L NaCl which is assessed with varying potential reserves of 4 to 8 million tonnes.

[14] Lake Assal is the most saline body of water on earth after Don Juan Pond with 34.8% average salt concentration[10] (up to 40% at 20 m (66 ft) depth); higher than the 33.7% level in the Dead Sea.

[7] By 1893, the French government had sold to businessman Léon Chefneux the right to refine and export salt from Lake Assal.

However, since 2008 the production has increased manifold as a result of the Government of Djibouti Department of Industries initiating action plans, in 2002, to expand the salt extraction process from Lake Assal by adopting modern mechanical processes so that a crude salt production of 6 million tonnes could be achieved annually, eventually.

After instituting a feasibility study for the purpose, the Salt Investment S.A., in a joint agreement, in March 2008, between Emerging Capital Partners LLC (ECP), Société d’Exploitation du Lac (SEL) and Hardtechnologies Group S.L.

[5] Considering the seismic and volcanic activity in the lake region, exploration for mineral deposits of gold was initiated in 2001 jointly by Djibouti and an American company.

[8] The Lake Assal area, the Ghoubbet El Kharab bay and the Ardoukoba Volcano were proposed to be developed as tourist attractions.